Just a matter of time
by youko goddess
Summary: jarethsarah.-right after sarah says those six little words she expects to have a normal life again. however jareth starts another game of seduction, only he's not playing around anymore...
1. futile words

**Just a matter of time**

Chapter One: Futile Words

" Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." The Goblin King said, almost pleadingly.

Her eyes darted back and forth from his face to the crystal he held, temptingly, towards her. As if he was offering her something that was forbidden to those like her. She licked her lips in hesitation and opened her mouth to try and say something, but the words caught in her throat and out came a raspy whisper.

" Sarah." He murmured, stepping closer.

" I'm offering you, your dreams."

His free hand reached up to brush her face. He tucked the stray strands of auburn hair behind her ear, and then alighted his hand briefly on her shoulder. He let his hand wander down a little more, tracing the side of her body until it reached her waist. He snaked his arm around her, and pulled her closer to him, aware that her breathing was erratic and that her heartbeat was quickening.

Her mind was becoming hazed, why was she here again? Her reason was slowly slipping away from her weakening grasp. Why couldn't she remember at all?

" Just let me rule you Sarah…" the hauntingly beautiful male whispered tenderly in her ear.

She found herself leaning against him for support, suddenly unable to stand on her own. She felt his foreign warmth wash over her, suppressing her. A heavy perfumed scent overwhelmed her nose, and her eyes felt so heavy. Her breathing began to slow down, and her body relaxed.

" Forget about your brother…"

Brother?…Toby! The web of enticement he had been weaving around her snapped, as her senses cleared. She broke free from his enchanted embrace. For a fleeting moment, a look of hunger flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a smoldering anger.

" You have no power over me." She said through gritted teeth.

She had expected to see him disappear or find herself back home with Toby in her arms, instead, she saw him smirk at her, while his eyes stared at her mockingly.

" Really Sarah?" He grasped her chin.

" It seemed that I had power over you…"

He leaned in closer, his mouth just centimeters from hers. He stopped then pressed his lips on her cheek instead.

" …just by doing that." He finished, smiling at her knowingly as her breathing sped up again.

' How easy it was to manipulate her body into betraying her.' He thought, amused.

" Give me the child." She said. The Goblin King frowned and stepped back.

" Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child that you have stolen…" she said softly, stepping forward, her gemstone eyes watching him back away.

" For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great…" she continued.

" I ask for so little in return, let me claim you as mine…and you can have everything that you want." He said, offering her the crystal once more. His mismatched eyes watched her falter in her steps, and he stepped forward again, invading her personal space. Sarah's brows furrowed in concentration, as if considering his gift. Her eyes hardened and turned to him cruelly as her mouth from the next line.

" You have no power over me."

The clock began to chime and she watched as everything fell away, until her living room replaced it. It was midnight and Toby was fast asleep in her arms. She walked upstairs and put him back in his crib, then placed her favorite teddy bear next to him.

" I'd like you to have Lancelot now." She murmured, pulling the covers over him. She walked back to her room and looked around at the ordinariness of it. It was going to be hard to adjust, but not entirely impossible to do. With a sigh, she began to put away some of the things that tied her to fantasy. Her music box, the little red book title The Labyrinth, and last of all her mother's picture. She took one last look at it, then shoved it in her drawer. She heard the front door being opened.

" Sarah? Are you home?" her father asked.

" Yes. Yes I'm here." She answered then turned back to her vanity mirror. Her eyes caught something glittering faintly on her bed. She got up to see. Her eyes widened in horror and she backed away. On her bed was a crystal, reflecting the artificial light innocently.

" Sarah, did you really think all that rubbish would work?" Jareth's silky voice asked her.

She turned around but saw no one. Then she looked down at her hands to see that they were holding the crystal. She dropped it in surprise and watched it bounce back into her hands again.

" Wh-What?" She stammered, fear written clearly across her features.

" It's just a matter of time Sarah, before you're back in the Underground and become one of us, forever." Jareth said.

Her gaze turned to her mirror, and she saw him standing behind her. She looked back but saw no one, yet his reflection was still in the mirror. She gripped the crystal until her knuckles turned white from lack of blood flowing in her hands.

" That's not going to happen." She spat out at him.

His lips curved into a cruel smile. Then in a shower of glitter, disappeared. His mocking laughter rang in her ears.

" Believe what you want, my dear Sarah. But trust me, you will be back, but the next time won't be the same." His voice drawled one last time.

Sarah covered her ears, a futile gesture, in hopes of blocking out his voice. No, that will never happen, she thought desperately. It's not possible! She sank down to her knees, suddenly tired as if defying him took all the strength out of her. She swore under her breath, and vowed that his prediction will not come to pass.

" You're not going to win. It'll be a piece of cake making you lose." she grumbled.

Sarah looked wan. She was deathly pale and tired as hell. But within her eyes burned a fiery determination. In the middle of her room was a large box, that was rapidly filled with anything and everything connected to the labyrinth. The reason behind this mass desecration of one of her treasured childhood story? Well it's not hard to guess. The reason was of course, because of him. A part of her knew that doing this was useless, but she was desperate enough to try anything that will keep her memories of him at bay.

Around midday she had finished, well almost. There were only a few more items to toss in before the labyrinth could be buried among the dust covered junk in the attic. However it was easier said than done. The drawer that had kept the remaining trinkets was shut tightly refusing to budge.

" Oh it's not fair!" She said, irritated.

" You say that so often, I wonder what your basis for comparison is."

" Leave me alone Jareth, I don't need this kind of crap." She muttered angrily under her breath.

" Sarah, who are you talking to?" her stepmother asked.

She looked up, startled and began stammering. " I was uh, rehearsing for try outs for this play at school. Yeah that's it."

She was looking at Sarah strangely but let it pass. She looked around the room and nodded approvingly.

" I see you're putting away your toys."

" Uh, yeah, I just thought I needed a little more room, that's all."

She left and Sarah let out a breath of relief. She had thought she was going to be lectured, but was more than happy at it not happening. She turned back to her stubborn drawer, and fruitlessly tugged at it. She growled, hoping that he did not enchant it or whatever so it wouldn't open. She left the room in a huff.

Ok fine, if he didn't want it opened then it won't be opened. She was going to forget about it and pretend that it never existed. It was just a piece of furniture, it did not matter. Well. Except for the fact that her homework was in there too. She groaned and grudgingly went back in her room and gathered her books. Looks like she'll be pulling an all-nighter if she wanted to turn in her essay and get a decent grade as well.

" Damn you Jareth."

Youko Goddess: I do not own the Labyrinth and characters..and this is my first time writing a j/s fic.


	2. dancing dreams

Chapter Two: Dancing Dreams

Sarah groaned inwardly. More Geometry notes! How much more can someone like her take!

'Oh, it's not fair!'

She stared at her math book, letting the numbers blur together until they made her eyes hurt. She blinked rapidly then turned away, her attention wandering. Soon she found herself shuffling towards her room, suddenly in the mood for a nap. But when she opened the door, she found herself back in the Labyrinth.

She backed up, and hit the wall of the maze, the door to her bedroom gone, along with her math book. She wandered around searching for one of those openings that lead deeper into the maze.

'I'm beginning to think that this place doesn't have any turns.' she mused, after finding herself still face to face with solid wall for the fifth time.

The scenery soon changed to that of an all too familiar glitter covered forest. She circled around the tree, she had collapsed against, unable to remember why it seemed so familiar.

"So, how are you enjoying my labyrinth?"

She quickly turned around, surprised that he was there. She had expected that he would be brooding somewhere in his castle.

"It's a piece of cake." she said, hoping he didn't hear the slight tremble in her voice.

"Oh really, then how about this little slice?" he moved his hands and a crystal slithered out of his sleeve. He turned it slightly and it became a peach. He switched the peach to his other hand, noting that Sarah kept her eyes on it, rather than on him.

"I've brought you, a gift."

"What is it?" she asked, watching him turn the peach, back and forth, examining it.

"It's a peach, nothing more. But if you should take a small bite, it will show you your dreams." he looked at it, then extended the peach to her.

"Do you want it?"

He watched as she hesitated, even though her fingers were already inching towards it. As soon as her fingers grasped the peach, he disappeared in his usual shower of glittering magic. Her stomach growled, and she looked at the peach in her hand.

"It's just a peach, all it'll do is show me my dreams. I have nothing to lose by eating it." she reasoned, and bit into it.

Heaven and earth flipped and spun around and around. She teetered on her feet, leaning slightly back, trying to regain balance. She staggered over to a tree and slumped against it. Was she still standing? Or was she laying down now?

"Everything's dancing." she said, strained.

Orchestrated music floated by her ear, strengthening the magic of the peach. Her breathing was slightly irregular, while everything began to close in on her. Was it just her or did everything disappear, leaving behind a spherical void? It was like being in a bubble, she thought incoherently.

'What a bunch of strange people.' she thought, looking around, standing still.

She twirled around, catching glimpses of herself, clad in an innocent white gown, reflected in the eyes of the other dancers. Her eyes landed on a tall and regal man, who removed his mask as soon as he was in her sight.

_There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes_

_A kind of pale jewel, open and closed within your eyes…_

_I'll place the sky within your eyes._

She gasped when she saw him, she had never seen anyone so impossibly beautiful. A pair of dancers moved in front of him and she leaned over to the side, hoping to catch another glimpse of him.

'He's gone.' she waded through the flood of people, some who were dancing, talking or involved in other activities that confused her.

'Why are they throwing themselves at each other?'

She walked up a small flight of steps, and found herself standing on a dais. Her eyes roved around but still no sight of him.

_There's such a fooled heart, beating so fast_

_In search of new dreams, a love that will last within your heart.._

_I'll place the moon within your heart._

She passed by an open chest and peered in, but flinched when something popped out. Some of the couples were laughing at her, and she back away from them, embarrassed and a little irritated.

_As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gone, wasn't so much fun at all_

_But I'll be there for you_

_As the world falls down_

_It's falling down_

_Falling in love…_

He was nearby, she knew that, but where? She passed by yet another couple, their faces concealed a by feathered, lavender fan. The woman pulled back her fan, revealing the Goblin King, who smirked and slinked away, his eyes on the girl. He walked after her, striding casually as the other dancers acknowledged him by bending down to his waist. A male-clad female brushed past him, her bright red lips murmuring to him. He turned back to quirk an eyebrow before ducking behind a group of socializing females.

_I'll paint you mornings of gold_

_I'll spin you valentine evenings_

_Though we're strangers till now, we're choosing the path between the stars_

_I'll lay my love, between the stars_

She revolved around, in one spot, scanning the crowd for her mysterious and elusive dancer. Her eyes landed on him, between two women who were leaning against him. He disentangled himself from them and sauntered over to her.

One gloved hand found hers, while the other rested around her waist. Her free hand gripped his shoulder as he guided her towards the middle of the room. A part of her could've sworn that he was singing, and she strained her ears to hear what it was.

_As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gone wasn't too much fun at all_

_But I'll be there for you_

_As the world falls down.._

_It's falling_

_It's falling down_

He spun her around and around, and everything blurred together, with the exception of his face. His heated gaze bore into hers, making her squirm a little. She noticed that most of the other dancers were crowding closer, making no room for escape. She began panicking a little, and pulled free from his hold.

She never got that far when suddenly everyone disappeared, and she was back in his arms again. His gloved hand brushed the side of her flushed cheek.

"And just where do you think you're going? We're not finished here." he whispered in her ear, pulling her closer towards him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"You're no match for me Sarah.."

She closed her eyes and leaned her head against him. Again with that heavy perfume. Her mind went blank, the only thoughts she had were the ones he put in there. He was right, what did she have to accomplish by defying him?

"Sarah." he purred in her ear. "Don't defy me."

His lips found hers, and devoured them in a bruising kiss. His arms crushed her against him, as he made sure that this was burned into her memory. He knew very well that she wasn't going to forget this anytime soon.

The ballroom shattered in tiny shards and she fell down, as he too disappeared along with his illusion. She landed with a soft thump on her bed. The room was still spinning, though this time it was making her nauseous, instead of light headed. The peach had left a bitter feeling in her mouth, and she got up and ran towards the bathroom.

She leaned over the sink and retched. Five minutes later, she was splashing cold water on her face, gasping for air. She still felt weak, and horribly dizzy. She crawled back to her bed, and laid facedown on it. Her stomach was still doing flip flops, and it didn't help her situation.

Her mind drifted back to him again. That tempting void that was pulling her back into his world again. She shook her head, she said he would not win control over her, and she would make sure he didn't. Her eyes went to the abused math book on the floor, remembering that she had a homework assignment.

Um it couldn't hurt to tempt fate yet again right? She asked herself. After all, suggestive dream with a Fae vs. math homework. She closed her eyes again, he may have won this time, but that doesn't win he'll win again next time.

Youko goddess: there you go, another chapter. Again sorry if it isn't as good as the other fics, but I'm trying.

Disclaimer: do not own


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